


come ease my slumber

by leov66



Series: pillowtalk [1]
Category: Ranger's Apprentice - John Flanagan
Genre: Depends on how you look at it I guess, Hurt/Comfort, Love Confessions, M/M, Nightmares, Post-Canon, let them hold each other and just take a Break!!, semi canon compliant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-05
Updated: 2018-05-05
Packaged: 2019-05-02 18:26:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14550657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leov66/pseuds/leov66
Summary: It may have been years sinceeverything, but Will still seems to be processing it all. Nightmares still haunt him from time to time, but this time, Horace's there with him.I just want to be comforted.(Novitiate, 2017)





	come ease my slumber

**Author's Note:**

> first '''finished''' fic in quite a long time, hopefully more to come! i'm knees deep into will/horace, bear with me!

Horace’s nights are usually calm. He’s a heavy sleeper, he doesn’t dream on a daily or even weekly basis. Part of it comes from the fact that he doesn’t usually dwell on anything that doesn’t need to be considered. Horace’s learnt to let go of every little thing that’s on his mind before falling asleep, it just makes life easier. He doubts he’d bear having to think while he’s supposed to be resting. Thus, he mostly sleeps through the night without any disturbances. 

 

This time, however, everything is different. Perhaps it is the Seacliff air, too clear, too animated, or Will’s bed and its surprisingly hard matress, or Will himself. Horace’s no longer used to sleeping with someone by his side. Will’s warmth feels familiar in an oddly comforting way, and so does his steady breath against Horace’s neck, but the knight’s thoughts cannot seem to obey him like they always have. Worries and doubts, hopes and desires all mixed together twirl around in his mind, almost taunting. And so he lies on the bed, embracing a sleeping Will and _thinking_. What a waste of time, really, when he, too, could be sleeping. But something’s on his mind, something Horace hasn’t figured out yet, and he can’t let it go. He hopes he’ll fall asleep at some point, maybe after he’s worn himself out with all that thinking.

 

Still asleep, Will shifts suddenly, turning away from Horace. His movement felt frantic, desperate, and when he makes a little noise, barely muffled by the pillow, Horace lightly shakes his shoulder. Will moves even further away, as if he was afraid of being touched. He makes that little noise again; it’s something on the verge of a cry and a yelp. It doesn’t sound like him at all, because he appears so scared, and Horace hasn’t seen Will like this in years. He looks like he’s fighting someone - maybe himself - and Horace is so taken aback that he’s unable to move. _He’s having a nightmare_ , he realizes, and it’s odd. Horace’s no stranger to nightmares, but it’s been a long time since he’s last had one. Maybe it was because he was constantly with other people; Castle Araluen almost never sleeps, and so he was rarely alone with his thoughts. With Will, it was an entirely different case. Horace doesn’t wake him up himself, for fear of startling him, but watches him anxiously.

 

Will jolts awake abruptly, gasping for air. He doesn’t seem to notice Horace, at first. The bed creaks as he sits up and hides his face in his hands. With a shaky inhale, then an exhale, he tries to pull himself together, but it’s just not working. “Wasn’t real, wasn’t real, _wasn’t real_ ,” he whispers to himself. It’s quite a warm night, but he’s shivering. He looks so fragile, so far away from the usual cheery facade, but he’s still Will. Even the when he’s barely holding himself together, he’s still Will.

 

Horace’s known Will all his life, but this side of him remains a mystery, even to him. Maybe not a _mystery_ , because he was aware that must be one, but it’s so- it’s painful to watch him like that. Will takes a deep breath and puts his hands down on the mattress. There’s so much tension in the way he’s gripping the covers, but when Horace’s hand is on his own, he doesn’t pull away. 

 

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Will murmurs, and Horace doesn’t push. They stay like this for a long time, Will’s cold palm covered by Horace’s entirely. Finally, Will lets their fingers intertwine, but he holds them like he’s desperate. 

 

Horace’s throat feels tight when he speaks. “I’m here if you need me, but if you’d rather be alone-”

 

“Don’t go,” Will cuts in, and grips Horace’s hand. Horace caresses it carefully, and Will manages a small smile in return. He still looks shaken, but at least no longer like he’s going to cry. That’s enough for now.  Carefully, Will reaches out to touch Horace’s face. There’s a raw edge to it all, every single one of Will’s emotions put on display in the faint moonlight, but his touch is the same as it always is. There’s shame, so much shame in his stare, even thinking about it is upsetting. His fingers feel cold against warm skin and his breath is still shaky. “ _This_ is real. You’re real.” He doesn’t sound like he believes himself. 

 

“We’re real. You’re safe with me,” Horace smiles at him and kisses the tip of his pointer finger, then the knuckles, then the back of his hand. It’s all so tender, so good that his chest just aches with all the love he can’t contain. He’d do anything to take a part of…whatever Will’s struggling with, just to help him breathe a little easier. “I love you,” he whispers against Will’s palm.

 

They don’t usually say it. Those words hold so much weight, so much power that neither wants to abuse them. _Don’t say anything unless you mean it_. In that moment, it just makes sense. There’s no other explanation to this than love.

 

“I love you,” Will whispers back without a hint of doubt in his tone. It sounds perfect, even if this moment is anything but. He closes the distance between them with a sweet kiss, a mix of mouth and tongue, just enough to keep Horace wanting _more_. Horace, of course, leans in even more, running his free hand through Will’s hair.  It’s so soft to the touch, and the little sound Will makes when he tugs at it the slightest bit is more than satisfying. 

 

Will melts under his touch, even more so than usual, but his heart is still pounding heavily. He’s not quite alright yet, and Horace knows that he’s not in a state to fall asleep again; but that’s something he can work on in the morning. They still have a few more days together before he has to leave again.

**Author's Note:**

> title from lewis watson's 'slumber'. have a good night/day xx


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